National Republican., 1887-01-04
A NOTABLE JUDGE.
A Court with the Largest Criminal
Jurisdiction in the worid-Lawioss-

Jurlsdiction in the World-Lawloss-
ness in Indian Territory.
OF the many eminent and learned jurists
In the United States none stand higher or
perform more arduous duties than Hon.
Isaac @. Parker, Judge of the United States
court for the western district Of Arkansas,
which is, perhaps, the largest criminal
court in the world. His court is in session
the year round, there being four terms an-
nually, writes Fort Smith correspondent
OF the ST. Louis Globe Democrat. To ad-
minister justice properly under the laws
governing this court requires extraordinary
frmness, a quality which Judge Parker
possesses to high degree Ali classes Of
people are brought before him for all man
ner Of crimes, and during his term OF Office
he has tried upwards OF 5000 criminal
cases, and passed sentence OF death upon
eightytwo murderers. or the latter thirty
eight have been executed, three died In Jail
while under sentence, one was Killed near
the court house In attempting to escape
while being taken back TO fail after receiving
sentence, two were discharged for want OF
jurisdiction, one granted pardon, six are
now In jail awaiting execution, and twenty
nine had their sentences committed to i'm
prisonment for life.
Judge Parker has held the position he
nine years OF that time the court over which
he presides has had criminal jurisdiction
over the whole Of Indian territory, q part
OF which jurisdiction has now been trans
fer. ed to the district court Of Kansas and
part to the northern district OF Texas.
The laws Of the United States for the pun
ishmeDt Of crime are extended over the
Indian country when the crime is committed
by or upon citizen Of tho United States.
Because Of Its extended jurisdiction and
the great number of crimes committed In
Indian territory, this court is one In which
are tried more cases of murder and other
high crimes than in any other court In the
whole United States, II not in the world.
Judge Parker is Judge who knows what
crimes by the laws OF the country, fully
recognizing the fact that by this means
alone can protection for the rights Of the
people be secured.
Many difficulties attend the administra-
tion of the law in the Indian country, yet
amid all these difficulties no court In all the
land Is such terror to evll-doer5 as the
United States court for the western district
of Arkansas. 1t is the great protecting
power thrown around the Indian country,
giving protection to the law-abiding peo.
pie, and keeping under restraint the class
from which desperadoes and criminals are
recruited. A large portion OF the. criminal
from justices In the states and territories,
and II II were not for the vigorous manner
in which the law Is administered In Judge
Parker's court, life In the Indian country
would be scarcely endurable. He deals out
justice to rich and poor alike, and the man
brought before him who commands thou
sands Of dollars and has influential friends
present to lend him the weight Of their
moral influence has no better showing, so
far as the Judge is concerned, than the man
who has not the means OF even employing
an attorney, and receives no more favors.
He is as courteous to the poor as he is to
the rich, and deals out justice without fear
or favor. He renders his decisions with
discretion as well as flrmness, and when
they are once rendered they are seldom, IL
ever, reconsidered. His decisions In regard
to status Of the Indian country are quoted
as the best authority in every quarter Of the
Union, and most Of them have been rem
dered after weeks Of careful research and
much labor. In word, the Judge is re-
garded as a man eminently qualified to
folve deep and knotty questions Of law.
His charges to juries are remarkable for the
tlearness in defining the law governing
every feature Of the case In question, and
his instructions to grand juries are intensely
interesting and forcible.
Judge Parker was born In Belmont
county, Ohio, Oct 10, 1888. He was raised
on farm, on which he labored In the
summer, while attending country school
In the winter, until he was II years OF age.
in his 18th year he entered an academy,
which he attended, with intervals Of teach
ing school, until he obtained sound educa-
tion. When he entered upon the study of
law In 1856 he found 1t necessary to con-
tinue his old pursuit OF school teaching.
He thus laboriously pursued his studies
until he was admitted to the bar by the
supreme court Of Ohio in 1859. During the
same year he emigrated west, and settled
at st. Joseph, Mo-, in which town he COM
menced the practice OF law. In 1851 he
was elected city attorney of st. Joseph, and
was twice re elected in 1S62-'63.
In 1864 he was presidential elector on
the Republican ticket, and as such, with
sthe other electors on the ticket, cast the
vote Of the state for Abraham Lincoln. In
the same year he was elected prosecuting
attorney for the twelfth judicial circuit OF
Missouri and continued IN that position
until 1867, when he resigned, In order to de-
vote his entire time to private practice. In
1868 be was elected judge OF the twelfth
enough to be eligible under the law. He
served until October, 1870, when he re-
signed, owing to his nomination us the Re-
publican candidate Of the st. Joseph dis-
trict for the forty-second Congress, alleging
as reason for the step that he did not be-
lieve 1t proper to remain on the bench
while making canvass. After relinquish-
ing his judgeship he entered the canvass,
taking strong grounds in favor of the ad-
ministration of Grant, and was elected by
large majority.
He served on the committee on territories,
and both In the committee and on the floor
Of the house made able and strenuous efforts
to promote useful legislation. He had
much to do with securing the admission of
nj 1n n efatn III. al bad 10
the forty-third Congress, and served on the
committee Of appropriations, OF which Gen.
Garfield was at that time chairman. This
committee was remarkable one for having
talent on 1t. From It's members there were
afterward chosen President Of the United
States, a Vice President, two Cabinet
officers two United State senators, and one
United States district judge-the last the
subject of this sketch. In an elaborate and
able speech. delivered on the floor of the
House, Judge Parker, while advocating the
Indian appropriation bill, took strong
grounds In favor OF the peace policy Of
President Grant as the only humane and
correct method OF solving the Indian prob
lem.
Soon after Judge Parker retired from the
forty-third Congress he was appointed chief
justice of Utah. Before having accepted
that position, however, President Grant an
pointed him to the position he now fills 30
well, and for which he possesses such pecu-
liar qualifications. Although Republican
the Judge takes no part whatever In politics,
and is respected alike by all parties, no man
In the state being more highly esteemed In
western Arkansas. Even were 1t possible
for President Cleveland to remove him,
there would be as many Democratic OBJ
jectors as Republican. He is permanent
fixture In Fort Smith, owning and occupy
Ing one OF the finest residences In the city,
and is a leader in every public enterprise
He may have equals In judicial ability, but
in the opinion Of his fellow.citlzens In this
vicinity he has no superiors.